Times are a changing, Obama keeps Blackberry

By Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, January 23, 2009

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs confirmed in the press conference January 22nd that President Obama has gotten his way: he will keep his Blackberry. Gibbs didn’t go into details except to say messages would be personal and not work related. Two things: that’s hopeless and that’s hopeless. For the Blackberry addicted like the President, the little device is plugged into their psyche and never out of their hands. Second, nothing a President says is personal. The US press dissect every word Obama says. In the same press conference, the reporters tied themselves into knots asking if Presidential Orders were valid if signed before he took the oath again “out of an abundance of caution”. Obama represents a different world of connected and open compared to traditional politics. It’s the same world that wants to shut down the Internet as dangerous. I’d say it’s too late: the cat is out of the bag. He does connect well with younger cool people. (From live televised news conference).